1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to game equipment and more particularly, to game equipment that includes a ball that is rolled across the ground to a particular target or location and makes contacts with other balls or objects.
2. Description of the Related Art
Bocce ball is a popular game in which opposing players or teams attempt to roll a ball assigned to them to a position closer to a smaller target ball than the ball tossed by an opposing player. The game is made up of rounds in which players toss or roll their balls at the smaller target ball typically located 30 to 70 feet away. In each round, the player who tosses the closest ball or balls to the target ball is awarded one or more points. The rounds are repeated until a player or team is awarded the designated points needed to win the game, typically 10 or 15 points.
Prior to playing, each player or team is assigned two to four balls. Those balls have a unique, identifiable color/s that is visible from the opposite end of the court or playing area. The balls and usually made of plastic and typically measure 4.25 inches in diameter and weighs approximate 3 lbs.
Recently, illuminated Bocce balls have been developed that enable the game to be played at night or in dark environments. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,575,855, 6,712,721 and 6,723,013 each disclose a day and night croquet and Bocce ball that uses a chemoluminscent stick inserted into a bore that partially extends into the ball. Unfortunately, the chemoluminescent stick remains active for a relatively short time and must be replaced after a few minutes. Needless to say, keeping on hand a large quantity of new chemoluminescent sticks is not only burdensome and expensive but also distracts the players and reduces the overall enjoyment of the game.
Ideally, what is needed is Bocce ball that includes a bright illumination source that can last several hours and when expired, can be easily and quickly replaced. To address this need, the inventor developed a Bocce ball that contains a low power LED illuminated source that includes a removable internal switch mechanism that controls activation and deactivation of the LED bulb. In an earlier version of the LED illuminated bocce ball, a plurality of batteries and a switch mechanism were mounted inside a threaded plug that was inserted into a closed threaded bore formed into the side of the ball's spherical body. Mounted on the threaded plug was a longitudinally aligned, single LED bulb. The switch mechanism was mounted on the base of the threaded plug and configured so that that the LED bulb is automatically activated when the plug is sufficiently extended into the bore so that it bottoms out on a flat face located at the end of bore. To deactive the LED bulb, the treaded cap was partially unscrewed so that the switch broke contact with the flat face. Unfortunately, this left the plug partially protruding from the ball and prevent it from rolling smoothly across a flat surface. To solve this problem, players had to remove the batteries from the ball and reinstall the batteries when desired.
To readdress this problem, the inventor modified the switch mechanism used on the earlier version and replaced it with a partially exposed external switch located on an outer flange formed on the plug. This modification allowed the light to be manually turned ON or OFF thus allowing the ball to be used during the day or night. Unfortunately, because the external switch was partially exposed, it could be accidentally bumped ON or OFF when tossed or when rolling over rough surfaces. As a result, players were frequently required to reset the switch during play.
In the second version of the inventor's LED illuminated Bocce ball, three flat watch batteries (1.5 volts, DC) were stacked within the cap and used to power the LED. The three batteries were held in place by a bracket and a screw that held the batteries in a stacked position. Unfortunately, when the batteries needed to be replaced, a screw driver was required that was not always available. Also, because battery replacement issue arose typically at night or under poor visual conditions, removing and re-inserting the screw in the dark was problematic.
Also, on both those prior versions it was not possible to create a watertight seal between the plug in the ball body. The game is often played at the beach or on grass in damp conditions so moisture egress was a problem.